Power-transmission device.



1.. B. MAY'. POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1909,

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

me Nonms grans ca., wAsmNm-ou, n. c.

L.- B. MAY. POWER TRANSMISSION 15m/10B..

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1909.

PatentedJan. 10, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

rys'NuRms PETERS co., WASHINGTON, n, c;

LOUIS B. MAY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

POWER-TRANSMISSION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

Application led January 2, 1909. Serial No. 470,425.

To all lwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis B. MAY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Power-Transmission Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention is an improvement in power transmission devices and pertains more especially to that class of such devices which embraces self-contained units.

My present improvement relates particularly to a self-contained transmission device adapted for use on heavy trucks, street cars and similar purposes, and the object thereof is the provision in such a device of a threepoint suspension frame supporting the working parts in order to take up or absorb the vibrations thereof, in so far as the same is possible, and further to provide av clutch intermediate of a prime mover and a driven shaft which may be connected and disconnected so as to drive through the clutch or directly from the prime mover, and in carrying out my invention, I also provide means for reversing the driven shaft without affecting the operation of the prime mover, as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan and partial cross section of a transmission apparatus embodying my present invention and illustrating the use thereof in connection with a single drive. Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating my invention as applied at both ends of a vehicl'etruck. Fig. 3 is an elevation -taken at the left hand end of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on line w, ai, Fig. 2,-Figs- 3 and 4 being on a different scale from Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the levers which may be employed to operate the apparatus. Fig. 6 is a partial sectional eleva-tion illustrating a modified form of the manner of connecting the levers which operate the clutch mechanism, and Fig. 7 is a section on line fy-y, Fig. 1, on a reduced scale.

I have illustrated my invention as applicable to the trucks of vehicles, and referring particularly to the drawing, 10 and 11 indicate the side rails of a car truck in and adj acent to one end of which a hanger shaft 12 is suitably journaled. Connected to and depending from this hanger shaft 12 is a U- shaped bar 13.

14 designates a cross piece provided with suitably spaced apart blocks in which are connected the extremities of a spring 16, the spring 16 being centrally secured to the central portion of the U-shaped bar 13 by means of straps and bolts 17 or otherwise.

18, 19 represent I-beams which are connected suitably to the cross piece 14 and to which are also secured the cross pieces indicated at 20, 21, 22 and 23.

The driven shaft or wheel axle of the truck is indicated at 24 and the sides of the v I-beams 18, 19, in corresponding positions are preferably recessed to receive the bearings in which the wheel axle 24 is journaled, the depending parts being preferably secured in position by the caps 25, and the axle 24 is provided in the customary manner with wheels v26, it being understood that the -I-beams 18, 19, with the respective cross pieces 14, 21, 22, and 23, comprise a frame which has a two-point bearing or support at one end thereof on the bearings in which the wheel axle is journaled and a one point support' under the spring 16 at the opposite end thereof, so that within certain limits this frame which. supports the working parts is permitted to have a swinging vibrating motion in order to take the vibrations of the said working parts in so far as the same is possible. Suitably mounted on this three point support frame and preferably at one end thereof adjacent to the U-shaped bar 13, I employ a prime mover, which as will be understood may be a gasolene or other hydrocarbon engine or other apparatus. In the drawing I have illustrated this prime mover diagrammatically and 27 indicates the drive or crank sha-ft thereof, 28 the cylinders which may be any desired number commonly employed in similar engines for particular purposes and 29 represents the piston rods which are connected to and drive the crank shaft 27.

At one end the crank shaft 27 is mounted in a bearing 30 carried by the cross piece 14 and on the other side of the cranks thereof, the crank shaft operates in a bearing 31 supported on and connected to the crossieee wheel 32 on the drive shaft. Adjacent to the fly-wheel 32, the drive shaft is also provided with a sleeve 33 connected to the shaft in any desired manner and provided at its outer end with a clutch member 35 and surrounding the sleeve 33 there is a friction cone clutch member 34. s 36 designates an intermediate shaft working 20, adjacent to which there is a fly-` Y therewith and slidable in a bearing 37 supported on the cross-piece 22 and having one end adjacentx to the vend of the drive shaft and the other end having a bearing shaft is provided with .a #clutch member` 39- whi'ch is :revoluble thereon and adapted to engage the clutch member 35.- Surrounding the clutch member 39 is a rocker frame 54hinged at 55 in iv-depending' the-cross piece 21 provided'ffor this purpose and the clutchfmeniber y39-is providedwith a peripheral recess 40,l the function of which Y will be hereinafterdescribedf Onfthe crosspiece 21' and preferably in Vsimilar-posit-i'onson-opposite sides of the center thereof, there are provided standards 41,; 42,'V between eachl of which there is a Vsleeve "meniber'43, 4eaehprovioled with rods 44,

45, extending respectively in opposite directions Yfrom dianietrically opposite points on the *sa-id sleeves' 43, and whichl Iare #employed to the sa-id" sleeves 43 'and 4G indicates `-springs normally maintain fthehereinafter de- "scribedy parts connecte/dftherewith against suitable stops-provided for this purpose. In one of the-sleeves 43 there is j ournaled a coneshaft'47 'and'- similarly in 'the other sleeve 43 is journa'leda cone-shaft 4S.A On one extremity ofthe cone-shaft 47- there is providedafrictioncone`49'and on the lcorresponding end of theconeshaft 48 there is a similar friction cone 50,'the Vfriction cones 49 and 50 being adapted-to-contact wit-hand engage the fric-k tion-cone 34. On the opposite end Yofthe cone-shaftv 47 there isl a friction cone 51 and v onthe correspondingyend of the icone-shaftk Y 4Srthere is a'fsimilarfriction cone 52 `and between th'effriction-cones 51 and 52 there is mounted Ion the intermediate shaft'36 a friction-cone indicated aty 53 with which the ,fri-ction'icones51-and 52are adapted'to conf tact andengage.

The arrangement of these parts is preferably such that in driving the intermediateshaft 36 from the drive shaft 27 f j, through the cone clutch, there'eis a reduction in speed in approximately the proportion 'Connected withthe upper member of the swinging frame 54 is` a pin-56, the lower end of which engages the peripheral groove 40 in the clutch member 39, while the upper end 'of thisr'pinrpasses throughV elongated slots provided therefor in the adjacent and overlapping ends of the levers 57 and 61'. The opposite'endvof the lever 57 is pivotally con- Y Vnectedas indicate'diat 58 yto a plate o above feo ' .61 is provided'also Withea cam 63 adapted to vbear faga'inst-'aspri-ng# G4l on Ithe other sleeve in a sleeve 38 surroundingxthe wheel Y axle 24. This intermediate portion of clutch members 43, and the free end G5 of the lever G1. is pivotally connectedtoa rod G6. Now the hereiiibefore described parts are so arranged .thatiwhen theiod 66 is moved to the left hand from the position shown in Fig. 1, the adjacent overlapping ends ot the levers 57 and 61 will be moved to the right, thereby causing the cams 59 and G3 to slide on the surfaces of their respective springs (l0 and G4, whereby the springs'4tl '-willy be brought into play to move the sleeves 43 outwardly and so disengage the friction cones 49 and .50 from the conef34, and the cones 51 and 52 from the cone 53, thereby releasing the clutch,-\vhereas in the opposite movement of the rodV G6 these parts will be returned to the position'shown in Fig. l, thereby throwing intlieffriction'cones and .turning the intermediate shaft 36 by means of the drive shaft 27 through the intervention of the friction cones, and upon a further movement to the right of the rod G6, the adjacent overlap ping ends of the levers 57 and (31 will be further `moved toward the left, again removing the cams from contact with their respective springs and so releasing the friction clutch and at the same time throwing the clutch member 39 into engagementwith the clutch member 35,` this latter operation being cffected by the pin't which as hereinbefoic stated, is connected to the swinging frame 54 and lhas one end extending through the apertures in the levers 57 and (31, and the oppositie'end in engagement with the peripheral groove 40 in the clutch member 39.

n the intermediate shaft'36 I employ a clutch member G7 which is revoluble therewith and is adapted to slide thereon and adjacent to the clutch member G7 is a clutch inemberGS mounted freely on the iiitermediate shaft 36 and adapted to be engaged b v the clutch G7. member 68 or inade integral therewith, is a bevel gear G9 and the clutch member G7 may be actuated by means of a lever 70 pivotally mounted at 71 in a bracket 72 connected to the cross-piece 22, one end of the lever 70 being bifurcated and provided with trunvnions 73 adapted to run in a peripheral groove 74 provided therefor in the surface of the clutch member G7, while the opposite end vof the lever 70 is preferably connected to a rod 75 by which the same is actuated.

On thevwheel axle or driven shaft 24 and on both sides of the collar 3S thereon, I einploy bevel gears 76 and 77, both of which are adapted to mesh with the bevel gear (39 connected to the clutch member G8 and associated with the adjacent end of the intermediate sliaft I employ also a thrust bearing indicated at 78. The gear 7G is provided with a clutch member 79 and .similarly the gear 77 is provided with a clutch member S0 and these gears with their respective lare mounted to turn freely Connected to the clutch on the driven shaft 24 and on the shaft^241 and adjacent to the clutch member 79, rl pro vide a clutch member 81 which is revoluble with the driven shaft and slidable thereon.

Similarly on the other side of the gear 77,

there is a clutch member 82 also revoluble with the shaft and slidable thereon. The

clutch member 81 is adapted to engage the clutch member 79 and is provided with a peripheral groove 83 and the clutch member 82 is adapted to engage the clutch member 80 and is provided with a peripheral groove 84.

85 designates a lever pivotally mounted as indicated at 86 in the cross piece 28; one end of the lever 85 is bifurcated and provided wit-h trunnions 87 adapted to run in the peripheral groove 83. 88 also designates a lever pivotally mounted at 89 in the cross piece 23 and one end of this level' is also bifurcated and provided with trunnions 90 adapted to run in the peripheralgroove 84 of the surface of the clutch member 82. The opposite ends of the levers 85 and 88 are connected by a rod 91, and 92 designates a bell crank lever pivotally mounted at 93` in a bracket secured to the cross piece 23. One end of the bell crank lever is connected to the lever 85 and the rod 91 as indicated at 94 and the other arm of the bell crank lever 92 is pivotally connected as indicated at 95 to a rod 96, the movement of which through the intervention of the bell crank lever, the lever 85, the rod 91 and the lever 88, moves the said clutch members 81 and 82 simul taneously either in one direction or the other.

By reference to Fig. 5, the rod is -connected to a lever 97, the rod 96 to a lever 98,-and 100 designates a rod connected at one end to a lever 99 and at the opposite end to the pin 56.

Now in the operation of the hereinbefore described transmission device, assuming that the prime mover is running, the lever 97 is first thrown to throw in the clutch members 67 and 68 in order to positively connect the intermediate shaft 36 with the gears 69, 76, and 77, whereupon the lever 99 is thrown to an intermediate position to first throw in the reduction friction gearing to thefposition shown in Fig. 1 and if desired, the lever 99` may be thrown to the opposite position to release the friction gearing and throw in the clutch members 35 and 39 in order to drive directly from the prime mover and also the lever 98, as will be understood, may be thrown to actuate the clutch members and 81 throwing the samein either one direction or the other depending upon the direction of travel of the vehicle and as indicated in the drawing, either one or the `other of these clutches 81, 82, will be in engagement at all times with its corresponding clutch member 79 or 80, it being also understood that it is preferable to throw out the clutch members 67, 68 before applying the reversing clutch 98.

The transmission device hereinbefore described has had particular reference to aA vehicle provided with a single unit, but it will be manifest that a suitable vehicle may be provided with a multiplicity of units, as for instance, as is illustrated in Fig. 2,where in is shown a transmission unit at each end o-f the vehicle, each unit being complete and operative in and of itself and entirely independent of the other and in this form of construction, the rod 96 connecting the reversing lever, is merely extended and connected with a similar lever at the opposite end of the apparatus, whereas the rod 66 for starting the vehicle is connected to a rod 101 by means of a lever indicated at a, these rods v66 and 101 being actuated, as will be understood by the starting lever 99, one of which is provided at each end of the vehicle. It will also be understood that in the use of the double unit, it will be necessary to provide a duplicate of the lever 97 at the opposite end of the vehicle for throwing in the members 67, 68, of the clutch at that end of the vehicle. Furthermore it may be desirable to provide means not shown for locking the reversing levers at both ends of the vehicle, so that the operation of the lever will require the attention simultaneously of two attendants and the same means may be made to lock the other levers in position when not in use. And also, as is manifest, where a sin le unit is employed, the extensions 65 of t e levers 61 as well as the rods 66, 101, and the lever may be dispensed with.

I claim as my invention:

1. 1n a power transmissionapparatus, a prime mover, a driven shaft, gear shafts, a plurality of gears on each gear shaft and means in the continued operation of which in one direction the said gear shafts and gears thereon are first simultaneously moved toward the said driven shaft, are then simultaneously moved away from the driven shaft and simultaneously with the said second movement of the said gear shafts and gears, the said driven shaft is connected directly to the said prime mover.

2.1n a power transmission apparatus, a prime mover, a driven shaft, a device for directly connecting the prime mover and driven shaft, gear shafts, a plurality of gears on each gear shaft and means in the continued operation of which in one direc tion thesaid gear shafts and gears thereon are first simultaneously moved toward the said gdriven shaft, are then simultaneously moved away from the ,driven shaft and simultaneously with the said second movement of the said gear shafts and gears, the said deviceis actuated to, directly connect the said prime mover anddriven shaft.

' the said` thegears on p so1 said .shafts to bring1 the vin alinement therewith, a clutch 3.' In -a power 'transmission fapp`afrat-us,r` prime mover, a drive shaft, -ardrivenilshaft' in alinement --therewith,I a gear o'nilthe driye shaft, a gear on-thedriven shaft, a'fplurality shafts adapted to 'enga-ge" respectively with gearson'the drive shaft and 'onlthe drivenshaf and'mea'nsinthe continued movement of which one' direction, the

said gear shafts' fare' Ashifted simultaneously toward the said driveshaft andd-rivenshaft v to-b1ingthe='said gears into contact, thenf' gear shafts' are 1 shifted simultaneously in-'the opposite directi'onfto separatejthe said zgears', and simultaneous'lyv therewithi the said* drive and nected. Y Y

4. In a power transmissionapparatus,a prime mover,- a dr-ive shaft, a drivenshaftt 5 in falinement therewith, av =gear von' the" drive shaft, a-gear `on the driven'shaft, a plurality' of gear shafts, gears onv eachof thefsaid gear shafts adaptedto' engageliespectively with the=drive and'fdr'iven shafts, ay device fordirectly connectingthe said'dr'ive and driven sli`afts,and meansinthe conf drivenv shafts are directly con! Vtinued'mfovement'of which' in onedirection';

the lsaid gear shafts are first-shifted simultaneously toward thesaid drive'andl driven' said gears into-contact',

the said' gear 'shafts kare y'then' shifted simultaneously in the" opposite directiontosepa# rate the said gears'gand simultaneously there* with the said "device is actuated fto directly* connect the said drive and drivenshafts. I,

5. Infa 'power' transmissionfapparatus,l prime'mover," a drive shaft, a driven 4shafti for directly" connecting the driven shaft' tol the`4 drive shaft, a friction pulley on -thefsaid drive shaft, a friction pulley" on the' said driven shaft, a pluralityof'pulley shafts, friction pulleys on each of 'the said pulley shafts, andv means in the continued movementfof which in one direction, the said pulleyshaft's are* first simultaneously'shifted tofbringv the said vpulleys thereon into contact Vwith-"the pulleys onthe drive and driven shafts respectively, are then simultaneously :shiftedinV the' opposite'direction to separate the said-V pulleys and simultaneously therewith the said clutch V U Y 'a device' for is actuatedto directlyconnectthefsaid drive and driven shafts.

6. In a power transmission apparatus, ay prime mover, a driven shaft, adrive shaft,AV

connecting and disconnecting the driven shaft directly to the drive soi shaft, afriction pulley on the drive shaft, a friction pulley on the driven shaft, pulley shafts, bearings forthe-sameand'with which theV said pulley shafts areslidable toward and away from thevsaijd driven shaft, fric-V ltionpulleys `on eachof the saidfpulleyshafts the said driven adapted to'contact respectivelylfw'ith pulley shafts' and gante:-

shafts into contact with'the friction pulleys respectively on the1 drive and driven shafts, then said pulleyshafts are v"simultaneously shifted away from the driven shaft to'separate the said friction pulleys and simulta# neously therewith said device'vis actuated to cirectlyconnect the dri-venshaft tothe `drive s 1a t.

7. In a power" transmission apparatus,J a prime mover, a driven shaft, a drive shaft, a device for connecting and disconnecting the driven `shaft directlyto theldrive shaft, a friction' pulley on the drive shaft, a fric` tionpulley on the driven shaft, 'pulley shafts,

bearings for the same and with which the saidpulley shafts are simultaneously slid-` able toward and away from the said driven shaft, friction pulleys on each of the said pulley `shafts adapted to contact respectively with` the said Afriction pulleys on the drive and 'driven shafts, means inthe continued` movement thereof in one direction, the said the pulleys thereon are simultaneously shifted toward the driven shaft to bring vthe friction pulleys on the 'pulley shafts into contact with the friction pulleys respectivelyon the drive and driven shafts", then said pulley'V shafts are' simultaneously shifted away from the driven shaft toy separate the said 'friction pulleys and simultaneously therewith lthe saidf'device is actuated to directly connect "the driven shaft yto the driveshaft', and means for normally maintainingthe frictionpulleys on the said pulley shafts out of contact with'the pulleys on the said driven and drive shafts respectively.

8. In apower transmission apparatus, a prime mover, a'dri'ven shaft, a drive shaft, a

ydevice for connecting and disconnecting the driven shaft directly'to the. drive shaft,` av

friction pulleyon the dri-ve shaft, a friction pulley on the driven shaft, pulley shafts,` bearings for the same,

rods connected to and extending ffrom the said bearings, slide-ways in which the said-rods, bearings, pulley shafts and thepulleysthereon are simulta neouslymovable toward and away from the drivenfshaft, means for normally maintaining `the-pulleys on the pulley shafts out of contact with the pulleys on the drive and driven shafts,I and means in the continued movement of which in fone direction, the said L`bearings, pulley shafts and pulleys thereonv are simultaneously moved toward the driven shafts 'to causethe pulleys on the pulley shafts to contact with the pulleys on vthe `drive shaft and driven shaft, are then simultaneously'moved in the opposite direction and simultaneously therewith the saidl device is actuated to directly connect the driven shaft to the drive shaft.

9. ln a power transmission apparatus, a prime mover, a driven shaft, a drive shaft, a clutch for connecting and disconnecting the driven shaft directly to the drive shaft, a friction pulley on the drive shaft, a frietion pulley on the driven shaft, pulley shafts, hearings for the same, rods connected to and extending from the said bearings, slideways in which the said rods, hearings, pulley shafts and the pulleys thereon are movable toward and away from the driven shaft, means for normally maintaining the pulleys on the pulley shafts out of contact with the drive and driven shafts, a spring connected to each of the said bearings, a cam adapted to contact with the face of each of the said springs and means for simul taneously operating said cams and the said clutch in such a manner that the said pulley shafts with their friction pulleys are first moved toward the driven shaft to cause the friction pulleys to come into contact, are then moved in the opposite direction to disengage the friction pulleys and to throw in the said clutch to directly connect the said driven and drive shafts.

10. In a power transmission apparatus, a prime mover, a driven sha-ft, a drive shaft,

a clutch for connecting and disconnecting the driven shaft directly to the drive shaft, a friction pulley on the drive shaft, a fric tion pulley on the driven shaft, pulley shafts, bearings for the same, rods connected to and extending from the said bearings, slideways in which the said rods, bearings pulley shafts and the pulleys thereon are movable toward and away from the driven shaft, levers for normally maintaining the pulleys on the pulley shafts out of contact with the drive and driven shafts, a spring connected to each of the said bearings, a cam adapted to contact with the face of each of the said springs and means for simultaneously operating said cams and the said clutch in such a manner that the said pulley shafts with their friction pulleys are first moved toward the driven shaft to cause the friction pulleys to come into contact, are then moved in the opposite direction to disengage the friction pulleys and to throw in the said clutch to directly connect the said driven and drive shafts.

Signed by me this 23rd day of Dec., 1908.

LOUIS B. MAY.

CLoYD MARSHALL. 

